Newport Folk Festival
Jim Brueckner

Newport Folk Fest 50 - Day 2 pics & video (Deer Tick, Neko Case, Joan Baez, Del McCoury, Elvis Perkins, Arlo G & more)

photos by Jim Brueckner

Deer Tick / Neko Case

“…And to think it almost didn’t happen. When the [Newport Folk] festival‘s future was in question earlier this year, original executive producer George Wein took back the reins and scrambled to fill two days with an impressive lineup that appealed, in producer Jay Sweet’s words, to “the musical omnivore.”…

…And this year the festival had a noticeably youthful presence; 9,200 people (fort capacity: 10,000) attended Saturday, giving the festival its highest single-day ticket sales since Bob Dylan‘s heralded return in 2002….

…It seemed impossible that Sunday could top this. But it nearly did with strong early sets from singer-songwriter Josh Ritter and the Campbell Brothers, who made it feel like Sunday morning in the front pew with an electric mix of gospel and soul played on steel guitars.

Making her Newport debut, [Neko Case] was in fine form, unleashing her sweeping voice to unfurl over the harbor with songs from her new album.

Mostly, though, [Sunday] was especially heavy on the legends. The Del McCoury Band, the festival’s only bluegrass act, sang high-lonesome harmonies in their dapper suits, with McCoury’s voice still dulcet and nimble at 70. And Arlo Guthrie was as much of a rascal as ever, remembering the stories behind tunes such as “The Motorcycle Song.”” [The Boston Globe]

Like Fleet Foxes, Neko Case also played All Points West over the weekend. Newport Folk Fest ran August 1st-2nd. APW was three days and started on July 31st.

Pete Seeger has had a busy 90th year. Not only did he headline both nights of Newport, he played both nights of his Clearwater Festival, MSG, Columbia University, Jazz Fest, Beacon High School, and probably something I’m forgetting.

Sunday was the day Deer Tick played Newport Folk. TONIGHT (August 7th) is the night Deer Tick plays a free show in Prospect Park with Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, and Jones Street Station (who were added as first of three on the Brooklyn bill). Deer Tick also has more shows coming up including one on a boat around Manhattan (tix).

Pictures & video from Newport Day One are HERE. The rest of Day Two, below….

drum session AND POLICE at newport folk festival 2009

Dala

David Rawlings Machine

Campbell Brothers

Guy Clark

Joe Pug

Neko Case

The Del McCoury Band

Arlo Guthrie

Deer Tick

Joan Baez

Elvis Perkins in Dearland

Pics & videos from the first day of the fest are HERE.

Newport videos…

Joan Baez & Judy Collins- Newport Folk Fest ’09

Joan Baez @ Newport Folk Festival 2009

Arlo @ Newport Folk Festival 2009

Avett Brothers Backstage at Newport Folk

Deer Tick

Finale of 2009 Newport Folk Festival